Control of fecal output in human beings has become problematical with the increase in processed foods in the diet. The present invention concerns a fiber-containing bulking mixture to effect such control.
The proper function of the human large bowel (colon) depends greatly on the amount of plant fibers in the diet. Many minor disorders, as well as major diseases, may be due to lack of sufficient plant fiber intake, a typical situation in western European and American diets, which are high in animal products and refined carbohydrates. An excellent review of what is known at present about dietary fiber, and the requirements therefor, is Fiber in Human Nutrition edited by G. A. Spiller and R. J. Amen, Pleman Press, 1976.
In the context of "dietary fiber", the term "fiber" is somewhat misleading, because many substances normally classified in this category are not fiberous in the common sense of the word. Various alternate terms have been proposed; see for example, G. A. Spiller and E. A. Shipley "New Prospectives in Dietary Fiber", Food Product Development, pages 54-64, October 1976. For present purposes, and in agreement with most investigators, substances which will be termed "dietary fiber" include plant derived material, such as cellulose, pectin, lignin; and various gums and semi-synthetic materials such as, for example, carboxymethylcellulose, which are not digested before reaching the ileocecal valve, but which may possibly be digested by the colonic microflora.
The most common of the "minor disorders" resulting from a lack of dietary fiber is constipation, a problem that plagues a large portion of the population in industrial countries. Laxatives are in widespread use in western Europe and the United States, indicating the desire of people to relieve this condition. Of the laxatives presently known, the only truly physiological ones are the so-called bulk laxatives, which employ an agent which increases the volume of fecal matter in the large intestine by virtue of its own bulk and/or by virtue of its ability to absorb water. The most common ingredient in such preparations is an extract of psyllium seed. There are many disadvantages associated with this material, such as the requirement for the ingestion of substantial quantities to achieve the desired effect, a bulky stool that cannot be readily controlled or easily modified, tendencies of the extract to gel in solution in a short time, making for difficulty in oral ingestion, and problems with allergic reactions.
All natural extracts have the following disadvantages:
(a) They are subject to inconstant composition due to natural variation; this is clearly true of natural foodstuffs themselves. For example, in wheat bran, the amount of "fiber" present in the bran can vary tremendously depending on the milling process, that is, how much of the outer coating of the wheat is preserved. Even in unprocessed fruits and vegetables the composition is affected by degree of ripening and length of storage.
(b) They require dietary manipulation necessary to assure that the proper amount of "fiber" is ingested. This has the effect of forcing people to consume large amounts of certain foodstuffs which they may otherwise be unwilling to consume simply to obtain their fiber content.
The present invention offers a controllable and known mixture of pure materials, such that the proper amount of "fiber" intake can be carefully regulated. In addition, this preparation has properties which permit it to be included in foods normally consumed by the individual, as well as being palatable when taken alone.
It is known that a specified mixture of cellulose with the natural produce pectin can offer a controlled amount of fiber. See, for example, Belgian Patent 867,088, issued May 16, 1978.
The present invention relates to mixtures of cellulose and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) useful for fecal output control, which are thus also antidiarrheal regulatory of colon function, and control appetite.